Gamecock

He's a Stetson Hatter, actually, not a Gamecock, but I couldn't resist, being the epitome of a gamer on our spectacularly cocked-up team. "All out," indeed. Who am I talking about? Brian Bocock, of course, our Organizational Sacrificial Lamb. He belongs in the minors (check out his hitting stats), and another season at San Jose (he just turned 23) seems like a good idea. I scoped out the roster for the AA-Connecticut Defenders, and they don't list a shortstop! A promotion to AA might happen if Bocock can learn to hit. I'll give him credit--he's kept his cool at the plate, working walks and poking singles. He's overmatched, 7 K's in 6 games plus the baserunning gaffes, but it isn't his fault. He's not yet a major league hitter, and the damn base coaches should have been on top of him every time he got on base. It is inexcusable they hung him out to dry--listen Roberto Kelly, you should have put your arm around that kid as soon as he touched the fookin' bag and said "don't do nuthin' I don't tell you to do, boy, ya hear me?" WTF these guys get paid for? It is crazy to use Bocock--we have the perfectly serviceable Ivan Ochoa (AAA Fresno Grizzlies), who is the obvious backup candidate for Vizquel when Omar returns. Ochoa is not the future SS, that honor belongs to Emmanuel Burriss. But Burriss is only 23, and starting on the Grizzlies everyday is the best thing for him. Ochoa has probably peaked at AAA, and will likely never be an MLB regular. Two different guys have handled the SS position so far this year at AA, most notably Olmo Rosario, the 2007 Can-Am Player of the Year. He's 28, and coming from an independent league, he's another MLB longshot. Billy W. "Trey" Webb is another career minor-leaguer, he's the other guy at AA. (Check the roster, The Defenders have FOUR 3B listed and nobody at SS!) The AA SS will eventually be Bocok's job, maybe even by the end of the season. I love the kid, he truly is a gamer, and it is a damn shame the team has chosen him to be the placeholder instead of giving him the time in the minors to learn to hit. I'm not going to bitch about Da Beezy and another shitty loss. Tomorrow M.C. takes the hill, and I have to miss the WHOLE DAMN THING due to work duties. THAT BLOWS!!